Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Blog
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning to consumers across the U.S. to stop using 9 brands of hand sanitizer as they may contain methanol, also known as wood alcohol, which is a substance that has very serious side effects when it is ingested or absorbed through the skin.
You can view the list of the 9 brands of hand sanitizer manufactured by the Mexican company Eskbiochem here.
This alert is alarming because of the fact that the coronavirus is still lingering across the U.S., which has increased the demand of hand sanitizers. The coronavirus pandemic has many people using more hand sanitizer when they cannot wash their hands with soap and water.
The FDA issued its warning on Friday after the agency tested samples of products that contain methanol, which is toxic, so it should not be used in hand sanitizers.
The FDA is requesting that consumers stop using any of these dangerous hand sanitizers right away and throw any unused product into hazardous waste containers.
The FDA says to not flush or pour any hand sanitizers down the drain.
Methanol poisoning can be toxic, so if any consumers have used any of the 9 brands the FDA is warning about, they should seek medical care right away. According to the FDA, prolonged exposure to methanol can cause:
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Blurred vision
- Permanent blindness
- Seizures
- Coma
- Damage to the nervous system
- Death
Anyone who ingests these hand sanitizers or consumes them as an alcohol substitute are at highest risk for methanol poisoning, according to the FDA.
Everyone wants to stop the spread of COVID-19, which is why hand sanitizer has been a staple. Now, it is very important that we check our brand of sanitizer so that we can steer clear of methanol poisoning. Our Florida Injury Attorneys at Whittel & Melton urge you to read the label on your sanitizer carefully and check the FDA website regularly to stay up to date on recalls. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), consumers should use alcohol-based hand sanitizers that contain at least 60% ethanol.
Methanol poisoning from hand sanitizer is very serious. Methanol is a type of toxic alcohol that is commonly used as a pesticide or fuel source. The CDC says that symptoms of methanol poisoning may not be apparent for 1 to 72 hours after exposure. The good news is that methanol poisoning can be reversed if medical treatment is administered.
Whittel & Melton Can Help
If you or someone you love has suffered harm due to methanol poisoning, our Florida Injury Lawyers at Whittel & Melton can help. The FDA has said that those most at risk are those that drink the toxic hand sanitizers. Babies and toddlers that get a hold of these sanitizer bottles can easily ingest the toxic chemicals and suffer methanol poisoning. Make sure you are keeping these products out of a young child’s reach.
The company/manufacturer that makes these dangerous products can be held responsible for any injuries or deaths that result. We are here to help review the facts of your case and fight to secure financial compensation for your suffering.
At Whittel & Melton, we are continuing to take precautions to keep our employees and clients safe and healthy, and we are still providing our expert legal services without any interruption during this challenging time. We are available 24/7 to discuss your potential legal claims and answer any questions you may have about legal matters related to coronavirus or any other litigation. If you are in need of a free case review, we urge you to contact us immediately.